Last night on my way to the grocery store after three miles of dirt roads to get to town, I saw a little deer on the side of the road – it wanted me to spot him/her. He was injured. On a horse, the spot would be the stifle – and therefore the hoof wasn’t working yet there was a great amount of bend on the stifle itself. I stopped. This was not a frightened deer.

While I couldn’t say if I had sat there for very long that the deer would have eaten out of my hand, I will say – this deer wasn’t intimidated by me. It wanted me to see him. I heard gun shots all day I couldn’t help but to think that it was a gunshot wound and of course I made up that it lost its mother to a hunter.

The wound wasn’t fresh, it wasn’t even oozing. Swollen, yes. And this little deer was definitely negotiating the hind leg like it had figured this out. I stopped; felt awful made a few phone calls and carried on with my grocery store mission.

When I came home, I called Paws.org only to discover that they won’t be open until the a.m. I contacted other groups and learned a lot.

I thought to myself, I have an empty stall, I could rehab. However, this deer is two miles away. How would I get this adolescent deer into a horse trailer if I could talk a friend into helping me?

I kept calling, only to discover lots about deer. I really thought about the deer video I posted a week and a half ago – a deer as a pet. I thought heck – I’m already octomom of horses, dogs, cats, what a deer is going to break me? Not.

The truth is my better instinct kicked in. I watched the deer, he had little safe spots. Someone (can’t remember whether it was Sarvey Wildlife Center or the Second Chance Wildlife Care Center in Arlington, or possibly even another group) thought that because I got out of the car and so close to the deer, perhaps it already had been fed by humans.

I also thought to myself at some point, live and let live – definitely do not chase – 6:00 pm Sunday night in Carnation is not high traffic, yet, I would hate to be trying to do something and drive the deer into traffic.

No matter how painful it is, nature has a way of correcting itself. As sweet as this deer was, the doe eyes – yet youthful, those crazy radar ears, the sweetness of the being, this deer has its own trajectory, contract, outcome that I have nothing to do with. Today I made an impact the size of one breath saying I’d love to help you and I could feel it acknowledge my intent by not running off.

However, and this is why I write this, I learned tonight by wildlife experts there is actually a disease – I believe called White Muscle disease that occurs for injured deer. You see a deer that has no experience with humans that is beyond the spotted stage (this deer was beyond the spotted stage – probably between 4-7 months) will not imprint to humans for help.

So baby still with spots orphan deer can do well in our environment and be fine to return to the wild after a few bottles. Any other deer can go into fight or flight and never come out of that state. They will fight and fight – even if I had a horse trailer with me – I would have sparked perhaps the onset of a disease. Once they are no longer in this fight state – it still triggers this disease. This bizarre disease or condition is called: ‘white muscle’ (or something like that) disease and it makes the muscles break down and eat themselves from staying in flight mode for too long.

As long as it is exposed to the condition that created the flight or fight status, it will not come out of that state.

I’m glad my instinct had me observe from a far this particular deer’s activity as I watched it go into a pasture through the opening in a fence. This was not new, it was familiar. I know where this deer is even now, not far from what it obviously perceives as a safe spot.

My guess is based on horse knowledge is that something in the hoof is not working based on the puncture (bullet) wound to the stifle area. The woman on the phone at Sarvey said we can only hope that area is a safe spot for that deer and that it will heal itself. A tendon or ligament injury like that takes time and we’ll see how kind this winter is.

I will say this about that deer, it is very smart and intuitive. It hid for other cars, but not for me. It found an exact spot in a barbed wire fence to fit through. It was eating leaves and grass under the frost every time I got close. And it was not skinny.

We just lost our Animal Control here due to lack of funding – so calling them was not an option. If the deer were in worse shape – Game and Wildlife would have been the right call. Because the wound wasn’t fresh, this deer has figured something out –

I had to look up in Ted Andrews Animal Speak – Deer: Gentleness and Innocence – Gentle Luring to New Adventure.

The wound wasn’t brand new and it wasn’t terribly old. Let’s see that wound heal, the hoof work and that deer carry on. And by reading this – you’ve been exposed to your own possible gentle admission of your new adventure……….what will that be in this New Year?

Olivia is the most amazing Aunt……she takes care of the kittens when the momma is away. The kittens are so cute at this point sometimes I have to have a cute time out. Really it is overwhelming the cute factor!!

I have big things – I have an Animal Communication University to put together and I can’t have so much cuteness!

The teleseminars are a big hit. More people are joining the University, all is well here. The cute factor just adds to the equation. It was hard on the University call tonight with my students not to do a blow by blow call of what the kittens are doing on their kitten turn out. But then again, I could do it all day long with anyone that called that would listen to cute kitten stories!

The new farm, the new kitty, the new, the new, the new…..We have a new member at our farm, (and we have a new farm). We just added Francesca, the new kitty. It has definitely taken a toll on Isabella. Isabella is the lab that I adopted almost 2 years ago. It will be two years September 18th. Isabella doesn’t feel like the youngest anymore, the baby. Yet, she’s the baby dog!

What she also doesn’t realize is that all of our skills will be necessary here coming up as this is a childbride…..this cat is like a bag of kittens, she will be giving birth any minute. Talk about grow up time for the lab! And I will become Sistah Kitty Gramma.

Meanwhile, Olivia (7 yr. old ½ Border Collie) thinks I brought the cat home for her. And the cat was supposedly feral. I moved in 2 weeks ago, Mind you, moving in to the new place is at least a 2 bedroom home – plus me and two dogs, the horses arrived (so a full barn with equipment and tack) the day my friends delivered the new cat.

I call her Francesca. I had never met her. My friends told me about a cat they trapped in Idaho and I said I’d take her. They drove her out. The day she was delivered was the 2 year anniversary of Alexandria’s departure. Alexandria was my beloved cat of 13 years that disappeared two years and two weeks ago. (Anyone who has read my book “Communication with all Life, Revelations of an Animal Communicator” knows all of these characters!!)

So Francesca, the feral cat (like Alexandria the feral cat I adopted 15 years ago) walks through and goes to the old spots that Alexandria loved – even though things are in boxes, she still is gravitating toward pieces of furniture. She and Olivia sleep next to each other. Isabella has tried to chase her and after two time outs – she gets this will be her best friend. In fact just tonight Isabella was asleep on the couch and I sat with her. I put Francesca on my lap and Francesca immediately wanted off. How did she get off of my lap – oh she just walked over Isabella. Awesome.

It almost feels like a case for reincarnation, don’t you think? Or sent to me by my darling Alexandria? Alexandria could be on the other side or in someone else’s living room and her continued care for my wellbeing sent in this adorable cat with the same origins as her………..for that kitty love. Her intention alone of continuing to take care of me sent in her clone personality wise. (I mean down to not covering poop because she expects me to say – here let me clean that up for you while also expecting me to hand over my veggies, etc.) It’s as if Alexandria never left, I just have a different coloring but same behavior, same feelings – even with Olivia.

I’ve included a picture of Francesca with my book and with the Hay House UK version of my book with a different cover. Doesn’t she look like the kitten on the cover?

There is always the good with the bad. Life in my Animal Communication world is awesome. Yet, I’m still so saddened by the loss of my horse trainer’s horse. She (the horse trainer) okay I’ll name her – Cindy is my kind of horse trainer. She doesn’t push me to show but wants me to have exquisite education, meaning, doing it right by the horse in the classical dressage way and yet, enjoy.

I am one who loves to learn. (Okay with technology, I’m challenged!) With animals – I always love to learn – whether it’s health, behavior, animal nutrition, healing techniques or training. I showed horses as a kid. I have no desire to show now. My measurement is that aha moment in a lesson. Or that brain checkout on the trail. I have one horse for each of those needs. As I stare out into my sleepy barn aisle now, I know boot camp is about to hit April 1! My guilt assuaged, a program in place – all is good. I’m very excited. Yet my joy comes from the idea that there will be fitness, fun and learning. That is my personal end result with me and my horses (and dogs). I have many, MANY, many friends and clients that love to show and I applaud them. I sometimes even show up physically to say AWESOME. I have nothing against it – it is just not personally for me. Yet the learning aspect is.

However, my trainer just lost her horse Sully to colic. As an Animal Communicator or Pet Psychic whatever you want to call me, there is a place that each animal I connect with touches me. (And if we just go by weekly – it’s a LOT!) They all touch me.

Sully was someone that I thought I had a future with. I met him in person and did some work with my healing machine to get him ready for a clinic. He showed me intimate details of ‘how he got into the zone’ at the race track and how he could work with that with Cindy’s dressage program. As a result of what he taught me, I shared with Cindy and they had nice rides his last couple of weeks. However, I had anticipated he was going to teach me more (as I’m sure Cindy had thought the same about her beloved).

It is that constant reminder that the time is now and love is now. Whether you are gearing up for the Olympics or going out to the back yard to brush your 28 yr. gelding. Or helping your dog down the stairs or the cat up to his or her special feed bowl…..or even my 89 ¾ year old father. For me personally, with all of life, all of the news, all of technology, all of the Earth Hour or whatever is going on in life, the time is now.

With my Father, I know the time is now. With Sully, I’m still so surprised. He had a wonderful round of healings, went off to a clinic – was a prize student and partner and left the planet.

So many great beings are leaving the planet – like a Natasha Richardson or fill in the blanks. I recently lost a friend – Bill Lagan. He died, almost to the day of the death of my childhood friend Robin Webb 2 years ago. Both are such huge tragedies, yet, all perfect when we look at the set up. What did they stand for? What did they teach us? That lesson will still be with us even if it is not embodied.

I personally have to remember, wow, I have a giant team on the other side. Meanwhile, it doesn’t take away from the pain in the moment of losing that physical being. And the reality of that animal/person being gone.

I have created a space in my Communication with all Life University site for those animals that are challenged that are still hanging on to life. . . . if you so chose to place an animal there, there are some wonderful beings in all dimensions that will look after them. Please check out: http://tinyurl.com/c78v22. Please join, add, whatever you feel like if you are with an animal or have a friend who could use some support.

I know somehow Sully taught me something that I may have initiated from him the lessons I needed , I will now have to go out and practice that with others. A very amazing technique I originally thought was exclusively his – it’s now universal. More on those experiments later……this was a dynamic changing event no matter what species, what discipline, what intention. Thank you Sully.
Blessings to you and your animal companions in all realms, Joan

I haven’t posted lately. No excuses. Okay, well I have been caught up in news, life, events, and the usual. Most importantly, I have been really working on the certification program. I have to say I’m learning more from my students than they know. Many (okay really many) years ago, I was in a Shakespeare program – back in my acting days – a Yale School of drama program at Oxford. My Shakespeare teacher was Rosemary Harris. . . okay for those of you not so stage literate – she was Aunt May in the Spider-man films. One of the most amazing actresses ever – still is. Every morning she greeted us and told us that she learned so much from us – that it was her joy of teaching. Well I can honestly tip my hat off to her and know exactly what she is talking about.
To be in her acting light and have her greet us that way was nothing more than a breath of fresh air. And she meant it. I never questioned her, but I have certainly questioned other teachers along the way when they have said that….or perhaps there wasn’t the innocence, the awe, the revelation that Rosemary Harris couldn’t conceal. I certainly learn a lot (okay a ton) when I’m teaching – but lately – I have been astonished. Rosemary Harris hadn’t taught much before so there was a genuine wonder at the experience. I have taught for 11 years and while I have a genuine admiration every time I finish a weekend course or even a 2 hour class at a New Age Bookstore, a feed store – even Barnes & Noble have done some amazing book signing/speaking gigs with me……..and of course a quick talk at a Pet store – this whole program is almost overwhelming with the magnitude of my awe. How quickly people are getting it and are ready to be in that space to communicate with their animals is beyond anything. . . .And what it will evolve to be.
The challenge is the set up. There has been so much set up with all of this, that is why I’m not doing my writing, my leo social life and I can promise you my horses and dogs are a little over the idea of Communication with all Life University. Today was entirely a paperwork day with a little dog play – not much horse activity. Though, we’re all content at this moment. I can see the horses from here, still on their midnight snack and the dogs would love to go up to bed. Soon, soon I keep saying.
I’m looking forward to tomorrow – a full day of just chatting with animals. Doing what I do. I have the morning with my animals and the rest of the day with clients.
Okay off to bed with promises of mores ramblings.